


Seeing Red

by xBlackxRosexRebellionx



Series: The Women of SAMCRO [2]
Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: F/M, Not Suitable/Safe For Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 06:16:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21192938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xBlackxRosexRebellionx/pseuds/xBlackxRosexRebellionx
Summary: With nowhere else to go, Ainsley makes the decision to move back to Charming, her old hometown, with her 8-month-old son. During her moment of weakness, Ainsley's sister manages to talk her into going out for the night, where she meets Opie, her childhood crush. Never in a million years had she ever thought she would be able to catch Opie's eye. But, after several drinks, things get pretty heated between the two. And, even though she knows their one intimate exchange will never be enough to get him out of her system, she walks away, afraid to tell him who she is for fear that he won't want anything to do with her. But what will happen when the smoke clears and he discovers who she is?Opie Winston is down on his luck. Donna has taken the kids, filed for a divorce, and left state in a desperate attempt to get away from the club life. After months wasted trying to convince her to come back, Opie finally gives up. But when he finally takes his brothers' advice to have a night out, he finds a hot little thing in a little red dress. She seems strangely familiar, but he's sure he's never met her before. After he shares a very heated exchange with her, the mystery woman disappears. But Opie wants more.





	Seeing Red

**Author's Note:**

> After Donna took the kids, filed for a divorce, and left state, Opie has spent the past 8 months burying himself in whatever work he can find. He's avoided all the attempts Jax and Gemma have made to try to get him out of the house. But the boys finally manage to rope him into going to one of the club parties, where he meets a hot little mystery woman in a little red dress.
> 
> Ainsley finds herself in a sticky situation when she catches her ex cheating her. With nowhere else to go, she's forced to return to Charming, her old hometown. Her sister and best friend finally manage to talk the now single mother into going out for the night, where she meets Opie, her childhood crush. The rest is history.

** _Seeing Red_ **

** **

_Flame_  
_ Girl, you light it up when I hear you say my name_  
_ Yeah, you know just how to start it_

_You shine_  
_ And I just can't wait to get you out tonight_  
_ Yeah, you know how bad I want it_

_Ride this Chevy like a Cadillac,_  
_ Blow that one stop light, no lookin' back_  
_ Wherever we're going, gotta get there fast_

_I'm talking red hot, red kiss falling off your lips_  
_ I'm talking red hot, red dress hanging on your hips_  
_ I'm talking backseat, heartbeat pounding in my chest_  
_ I'm seein' red (I'm seein' red)_  
_ I'm seein' red (I'm seein' red)_

_Can't get you outta my head, girl_  
_ Can't get you outta my head_  
_ The way you color up my world_  
_ I'm seein' red_

** _Chapter 1: Seeing Red_ **

Opie Winston sighed as he walked across the parking lot. He was thankful that he’d been assigned to run the tow truck that day. At least it got him away from the shop – and away from the guys. Opie loved his brothers under the patch, but it seemed like, lately, all they wanted to talk about was his lack of a social life or, even worse, his lack of a sex life. “You need to get out, Ope.”, “You need to come to the party tonight, Ope.”, “You need to get laid, Ope.”, “When are you gonna get yourself a girl, Ope?” It never seemed to end.

So, it came as no surprise when he walked into the garage and overheard Chibs talking to Jax about him.

“It’s not good for him, Jackie,” the Scotsman said, “He’s diggin’ himself a hole.”

“I know,” Jax agreed, “But I can’t seem to get him out of this funk.”

“What she did ain’t right,” Chibs stated, “We _all _know it ain’t. She had no right ta take his family away from him. But it ain’t right for Ope ta beat himself up about it either. Hell, he’s spent the past eight months tryin’ ta get her back!”

“I know,” Jax told him, “I would’ve let that ship sail a long time ago. But that’s not Ope. He loves his family. Hell, he loved Donna.”

“I still do,” Opie butted in, hoping to bring an end to their conversation.

“Ah _shite,” _Chibs cursed, knowing that they’d been busted, “Ope, ya know we care about ya. We just don’t wanna see ya beat yourself up about it, yeah? This is shite, ya blamin’ yourself. Yeah, she threatened ta do it for two years now, but none of us really thought she’d actually _do it, _ya know?”

Opie nodded, replying, “I didn’t either. I guess I didn’t know her as well as I thought I did.”

“Come on, Ope,” Jax tried to reassure him, “It’s not your fault, man. Donna just couldn’t handle the life.”

“Apparently, no woman can,” Opie retorted, walking over to the vending machine and punching it.

It released a can of Coke and he bent down to retrieve it.

“I see I’m gonna have to get that fixed,” Gemma commented as she walked into the garage.

Opie just shrugged his broad shoulders.

She handed some papers to Chibs, giving him the rundown on the next car he would be working on, before she walked back towards the door.

But she stopped short in front of Opie, reaching up to pat him on the chest as she said, “You’re wrong, Ope. _Most _women can’t handle this life. You just haven’t found the right one yet.”

With that, she patted his chest once more and headed back to the office.

Tig chose that moment to walk into the garage, asking, “Hey, fellas, what’s up?”

“Just talking about my shit show of a life,” Opie informed him, causing the other two men to hang their heads slightly, looking like a couple of shaggy, guilty puppies.

“Ahh…” Tig said, “So I take it they didn’t ask you to come to the party tonight then?”

“No,” Opie replied, “But it doesn’t matter. I’m not going anyway.”

“Aw, come on, Ope,” Tig practically whined, “When are you gonna let it go, huh? Look, what Donna did, it’s not your fault. Donna just –,”

But Opie cut him off, taking the two steps that separated them and leaning down to snarl into his face, “The next person that says her name is gonna get his teeth knocked down his throat.”

Tig swallowed hard, nodding his head, and mumbled, “You got it, brother.”

“Hey, Opie!” he heard above the noise in the garage.

He’d recognize the president of their club’s voice anywhere.

“Yeah?” Opie asked, looking around until his hazel eyes finally located the leader of their club standing in the doorway between the office and the garage.

“You’re coming to the party tonight,” Clay instructed.

“Is that an order?” Opie challenged.

“Yeah,” Clay said, stepping out of the office and into the garage, “It is.”

Opie voiced a low growl, turning his back on his brothers and walking out of the garage.

“It starts at 8 o’clock!” Clay hollered after him, “Don’t be late!”

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

Ainsley Madock shook her head at her younger sister, Avery, as she reached out with another bite full of sweet potatoes for her 8-month-old son, Oliver. Her son gladly accepted the food, mouth open wide like a baby bird. He bounced slightly in his highchair, eagerly anticipating the next bite as he smacked his lips and made little “Um um” noises. She smiled as her 2-year-old rescue dog, Hutch, leaned in to snuffle at the baby’s toes, causing the baby to squeal and giggle.

“Oh, _come on, _Ainsley!” she heard for what had to be the twentieth time that evening.

“Ave, I have a son,” Ainsley pointed out, “I’m not just gonna ditch him and go out drinking. When have I _ever _been that kind of mom?”

“But that’s the _point, _Ains,” Avery insisted, “God, I can’t even remember the last time you arranged a babysitter for Ollie so that you could go out and enjoy yourself!”

“It’s not exactly on my list of priorities,” Ainsley stated, “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m now a single mother, so that kind of makes taking care of Ollie my responsibility.”

“Yeah, but even _before _you caught that asshole cheating, you _still _never went out and had any fun. Just because you were a stay at home mom didn’t mean that you had to stay at home _all _the time. I mean you _never _left the house, Ainsley,” Avery countered, “You _still _don’t.”

“That’s not true,” Ainsley said, “I leave the house all the time. I go grocery shopping. I take Ollie to his pediatrician appointments. I go out to eat on occasion –,”

“Let me stop you there,” her sister butted in, holding up one hand, “Eating by yourself does _not _count as going out for dinner. And grocery shopping and Ollie’s pediatrician appointments don’t count as outings either. They’re mandatory.”

Ainsley heaved a sigh, rolling her green eyes at her younger sister. Ainsley had _never _been this dramatic. Avery had surely gotten it from their mother. Their fathers didn’t give a shit about either one of them, and they’d never even met their side of the family since both of the men had flaked out as soon as their mother had told them she was pregnant with the girls. But what did one expect? Their mother had been pursuing one man after another for as long as Ainsley could remember, living off this one, sleeping with that one. Hell, she probably didn’t even know who the girls’ real fathers were! And the _only _reason she ever wanted to see Ollie or Ainsley was so that she could get pictures of them so that she could post them all over Facebook. Avery simply _refused _to have anything to do with their mother. And it was no wonder why. The woman had never won the “Mother of the Year Award”, so there was no way in _hell _Ainsley was going to let her get in line for the “Grandmother of the Year Award”.

“Avery –,” Ainsley started, only to be cut off once more as Avery insisted, “No. Just listen. It’s not gonna kill you to spend _one _night away from your son, Ains. Honest. It won’t. I know you don’t like leaving him. I get that. And I know that you have the urge to call and check on him like every five fucking seconds. But he will be _fine _for one night. Just _one _night. I promise. Just because you’re a mom doesn’t mean that you can’t have a little fun every now and then. Hell, you _deserve _it after everything you went through.”

Ainsley sighed. She knew that her sister was right. After she’d caught her now ex-fiancé cheating on her with a _man _three weeks ago, Ainsley had thrown herself into packing first, then moving out of the home she’d shared with him there in Chatham, then driving halfway across the country to return to her hometown in Charming, California. The betrayal had hit her exceptionally hard because she’d known at the time that she had nowhere else to go. She didn’t want to move in with her mother. She hadn’t even known where the hell her father was – and didn’t care to. All she’d had left was Charming. And, once she’d finally arrived there, she’d busied herself with unpacking and trying to make the small, two-bedroom apartment she’d found into a temporary home for her and her son. She’d hit the ground running after she’d caught her ex-fiancé red-handed in _her _bed with another man, and she hadn’t stopped yet.

“I just…” Ainsley started, pausing as she tried to find the words, “I can’t even stand the _thought _of leaving him. And you know how he gets when he can’t see me.”

There was no denying that her son suffered from separation anxiety, but only where his mother was concerned. Ainsley chalked that up largely due to the fact that she had been a stay at home mother with her son before moving to Charming three weeks ago. And she honestly didn’t know if she would be able to survive leaving him at a daycare when she started work in three weeks.

“Ainsley, I love you, all right?” Avery told her, “But if you don’t get out every once in a while, one of these days, you’re going to resent not being able to have a life of your own. You can’t just be mom all the time. Sometimes, you need to just be Ainsley.”

Ainsley scoffed at that, shaking her head, but Avery persisted, reminding her, “Look, I know all of your rules. I know your routine with him. Hell, it will only be for a few hours! Just do yourself a favor and take this chance. You don’t know when it will come up again. Besides, he’s gonna have to get used to other people taking care of him sooner or later. In three weeks, he’s gonna be in a daycare.”

“Don’t remind me,” Ainsley groaned, reaching up to rub at her temples, where she felt the muscles starting to grow tense with an impending headache.

“I’ve already called Livvie, and she’ll be here in 20 minutes to do your makeup and find an outfit for you to wear. So, you’d better go get your ass in the shower,” Avery demanded.

Ainsley’s brows rose at that and she opened her mouth to speak, but her sister cut her off, shoving her none-to-gently from the chair she was perched on to feed her son and reaching out for the baby spoon to resume feeding duty before Oliver got angry. Hutch lowered his head and gave a slight growl at Avery’s treatment of his “mommy” and Avery tried to shoo him away. But the dog refused to be moved.

“You know he thinks Ollie is _his _baby,” Ainsley reminded her, “He’s not gonna leave his side.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now go,” Avery instructed, pointing down the hallway, “Now.”

Ainsley sighed but started that way, rolling her eyes as she heard her sister holler after her, “And shave those hairy legs, you grizzly woman!”

Forty minutes later, Ainsley was standing in front of the mirror that was attached to her dresser, scrunching up her nose as she reached down to tug at the bottom hem of the red lace dress that her closest childhood friend, Olivia Rhodes, had somehow managed to talk her into wearing.

“Oh my God!” Avery cried, poking her head around the door as she stood in the doorway with Oliver perched on one hip, “You actually managed to get her into a dress?!”

“I did,” Livvie announced proudly, a big grin stretching across her face, “And she looks _damn _good in it, if I might say so myself.”

“I look like a prostitute,” Ainsley groaned, reaching up to tug at the top of the dress as the plunging neckline was pulled even lower when she finally managed to pull the bottom hem of the dress low enough to almost reach her knees.

“Excuse me?” Livvie asked, her brows hiking up her forehead.

“Sorry,” Ainsley apologized, giving her a sheepish grin, “I just… This is _so _not me.”

She gestured with one hand to the image staring back at her in the mirror, and Livvie and Avery both said at the same time, “Shut up! You look great!”

Ainsley rolled her green eyes and mumbled, “I look _ridiculous. _Hell, the only time I’ve ever shown this much skin is in the shower! My boobs are hanging out. Half of my thighs are exposed. My back’s not even covered. And if I have to bend over to pick anything up in this thing, my ass is gonna show!”

“Oh, shut up,” Livvie told her, “You’re one hot mama in that dress. Hell, you look better in it than I do!”

“Scratch that,” Avery said from her place just inside the door, “You don’t even _look _like a mom.”

“That’s the point, my dear,” Livvie said in a sing-song voice.

“Jesus, I don’t know when the last time was that I even _saw_ her in makeup,” Avery said, “Or the last time I’ve seen her legs without like… three inches of hair on them.”

“Shut up!” Ainsley cried, her face turning a bright shade of red at her sister’s confession, “I shave, okay? Just not as often as you do. When you’re a stay at home mother and you have like ten million things to do every day, that’s like the _last _thing on your mind.”

“Yeah, unless you actually _want _to have sex,” Avery pointed out.

“Avery!” Ainsley gasped, completely mortified.

She’d never wished harder that a hole would appear in the floor and swallow her up.

“Just saying,” Avery said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Well can you blame her?” Livvie asked, quickly coming to Ainsley’s defense, “I mean the guy’s not even into women for fuck’s sake! He was just playing her this whole time! I mean who _does _that? Who commits to a long-term relationship for a fucking _year_, has a kid with someone, _proposes _to that person, and then decides ‘Nah. I’m not even into chicks. I’d rather have dicks.’?”

Avery burst out laughing and Ainsley just stood there, staring at her best friend with her mouth hanging open in shock. She’d found herself thinking the _exact_ same thing _several _times lately actually. She’d just never voiced it out loud.

“Okay. Can we _not _talk about my horrible relationship choices here? Or my lack of a sex life?” Ainsley suggested.

“They’re kind of one in the same, aren’t they?” Avery hinted.

Ainsley sighed. This was a hopeless subject.

“Whatever. Can we just do this another night?” Ainsley asked, reaching for the hem of the dress to tug it back over her head.

“No!” both of the other women in the room shouted simultaneously.

“I didn’t get you into a dress and put makeup on you just for you to wimp out,” Livvie informed her.

“And I didn’t agree to babysit for you just for you to puss out,” Avery chimed in.

“Do I even get a say in this?” Ainsley inquired.

“No,” they both answered in unison once more.

Ainsley huffed but turned around to take one last look at herself.

The girls were right. She looked better than she had in… well… ever really. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out. Hell, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d worn makeup! In fact, the makeup really made her simple, black, plastic-framed glasses look out of place. But there she was, staring back at her own reflection, her copper colored hair falling in banana curls down to her shoulders, her green eyes accentuated with sparkling, gold eyeshadow and a bold, exaggerated cat’s eye design streaked across her upper eyelids in black liquid liner. Her long, dark, thick lashes were coated in black mascara, eyeliner rimming her bottom lids as well, and her lips were painted a bright, cherry red to go with the color of the red lace dress that Livvie had just _insisted _that she wear.

The dress was a halter top, tying around her neck and leaving most of her back exposed. Her arms and shoulders were completely bare, and the dress showed off more of her cleavage than she’d _ever_ feel comfortable exposing. The dress was cherry red, clinging to her every curve, accentuating her breasts and her slender stomach, the flare of her hips and the swell of her ass. It stopped halfway down to her knees, exposing more of her legs than she’d ever shown off before. She felt naked if she was honest.

“Who would’ve guessed you had a figure like that hiding under all those layers,” her sister joked.

“She looks better in that dress than I do,” Livvie said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Oh, I do not,” Ainsley retorted, giving a very unladylike scoff and rolling her eyes.

Livvie stole a peek at her phone’s screen to check the time and announced, “All right. Well, this has been lovely, but we’ve gotta go, girlfriend. We’re gonna be late.”

“But…” Ainsley protested, “But I’m not ready…”

“You’re as ready as you’ll ever be, honey. Now come on,” Livvie told her, reaching out to snag her hand and dragging her for her bedroom door.

Ainsley stole a peek at her son then, a pout curling at her lips as she was dragged past him. But she yanked her hand out of Livvie’s hold to make her way over to her son. She dropped a kiss to the top of his head and breathed in the scent of his baby lotion, a wobbly smile stealing across her face as she gazed down at him.

“Oh, now! None of that!” Livvie scolded, “You’ll ruin your mascara.”

“Mommy loves you, Ollie!” Ainsley told her son as she was dragged down the hallway, “I’ll be home soon!”

Hutch trotted halfway down the hall, his head tilting to one side and his tail wagging as he watched her go.

“You take care of the baby, Hutch! Mommy loves you too!” Ainsley called as Livvie pulled her out the front door.

Ainsley was shaking her head by the time they pulled into the parking lot of the Teller-Morrow Automotive Repair Shop.

“I can’t do this, Liv,” she told her best friend.

“Ainsley –,” Livvie started, but Ainsley cut her off, shaking her head harder and insisting, “No, I mean I _can’t _do this. God, I’ve never been so nervous in my life!”

And she was. Her stomach was one big ball of nerves. Her hands were shaking slightly as she reached up to run her fingers through her hair.

“Ains, sweetie, you’ve gotta calm down,” Livvie told her, “You remember what happened the last time you got this worked up?”

“Yeah,” Ainsley sighed, nodding.

The last time Ainsley had been nervous like this, it had been the night of her junior prom. She’d been getting dressed for the night, and her mother had stood there in the doorway of her bedroom, rattling off an entire list of all of the things that could possibly go wrong that night. Ainsley had wound up breaking out in hives all over her neck and chest, and she’d called Livvie, crying into the phone. And she’d only been half as nervous then as she was now.

“All right, now just take a deep breath,” Livvie instructed, watching as Ainsley did as she’d told her, “Good. That’s good. Slow breath in… Slow breath out… Good, girl.”

Ainsley took another deep breath to help calm her nerves.

“That’s good,” Livvie praised, “You remember Opie?”

Ainsley’s brows furrowed and she jerked her head back slightly.

“Of course, I remember Opie,” she said.

How could she _not _remember Opie Winston? Hell, she’d had a crush on him since she was 12! He and his best friend, Jax Teller, had been 5 years older than the girls in school. The girls had drooled over those boys for years. But that had been their little secret, and still was, for that matter.

“Yeah, well, he’s grown up a _lot _since you’ve seen him,” Livvie informed her, “He’s got tattoos, a lumberjack beard, and he can rock a man bun better than Harry Styles.”

Ainsley’s brows hiked up her forehead in surprise before she furrowed them, asking, “Why are you telling me this? Opie got married, Liv.”

“And then Donna took the kids, filed for a divorce, and left state,” Livvie proceeded to tell her.

“What?! When?” Ainsley asked.

“8 months ago,” Livvie answered.

“Wow…” Ainsley muttered.

“Yeah. ‘Wow’. And now Opie is this big, brooding bump on a log,” Livvie said, “That’s why I dragged you to this damn party in the first place. All the guys have tried for the past 8 fucking months to get that man out of the house. And when I found out that he _finally _agreed to come to this one tonight, I just _knew _that I had to find a way to get you here.”

“Oookaaay…” Ainsley said slowly, not quite understanding where this whole conversation was going.

“Ainsley, tonight is the night,” Livvie told her.

“The night for what exactly?” Ainsley inquired.

“This is your one chance,” Livvie elaborated, “Don’t you get it? This is like the _one _chance you’ll get to make a move.”

Ainsley couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing.

“Oh! Yeah! Right,” she scoffed, “Because Opie Winston is really gonna want this?”

She gestured with one finger down the length of her body before giving an unladylike snort of laughter.

“Sure thing, Live,” Ainsley agreed sarcastically.

“Ainsley Marie Madock, you shut your piehole!” Livvie scolded.

Ainsley quickly shut her mouth, her green eyes wide as she stared at her best friend. It wasn’t often that Livvie’s temper came out. She was always the bubbly one, the fun-loving one, the life of any party.

“Now you listen to me and you listen good,” Livvie told her, “Got it?”

Ainsley nodded.

“Good,” Livvie stated, “Now, you are going to walk into that bar, you are gonna _rock _that party like the sexy mama you are, and you are gonna fuck Opie Winston _so _good that he’ll never forget it.”

“I’m gonna _what _now?” Ainsley gasped, her eyes wide.

“Oh don’t be a prude,” Livvie chastised, “You can’t honestly tell me that you’re still a virgin, now can you? You have a fucking kid, Ains.”

“Yeah, and his father is the _only _man I’ve ever slept with,” Ainsley reminded her.

“Well, I feel sorry for you, honey,” Livvie replied, “But don’t tell me that you haven’t thought about fucking that man for _years _now, that you haven’t wondered what it would be like.”

Ainsley was silent, her eyes finding her lap as she started fiddling with her fingers.

“That’s what I thought,” Livvie said, “You wanna spend the rest of your life wondering? Or you wanna find out?”

“It’s not that simple, Liv,” Ainsley countered, “I mean, the man didn’t even know me. He had _no _idea that I even _existed. _Why would he want me now?”

“Um, maybe because you’re not that shy, awkward, quiet little teenybopper you were back then,” Livvie informed her.

“Um, newsflash, Liv,” Ainsley retorted, “I’m still shy and awkward.”

“Fine, but you’re not a teenybopper,” Livvie amended, “You’ve grown boobs finally. You’ve got a _killer _ass. And you’ve got legs that go on for miles. Honey, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but guys stare at you _everywhere _you go – ,”

“Oh, they do not,” Ainsley insisted.

“They do,” Livvie argued, “I’ve seen it myself. But you’re _so _much more than that, Ains. I wish you could see that. You’re so fucking strong. Everything that asshole put you through? Everything you went through to get your son here? You’re fucking superwoman.”

Ainsley just laughed at that, but Livvie shook her head and continued on to say, “I’m serious. You’ve got a heart of gold, Ainsley. You’re a _damn _good mother. You’re the best friend I could ever ask for. You do _so _much for everyone else. But what about you, huh? When was the last time you ever did anything for _yourself?”_

“I…” Ainsley started to say before trailing off when she realized that she honestly couldn’t answer that question.

“That’s what I thought,” Livvie told her, “Now, listen. I know you can do this. All right? And I will be _righ_t next to you until you decide you’re ready to go your own way.”

Ainsley sighed but nodded, finally pushing herself out of the car.

“I still can’t believe I’m letting you talk me into this,” she muttered.

“I’m your wing woman,” Livvie reminded her as she slid from the driver’s seat out into the cool, night air, “That’s part of the job description. Now, let’s go in there and have ourselves some fun.”

“Okay,” Ainsley finally agreed as she walked around the front of the car to meet her friend, “But I am _not _fucking him.”

“Oh, you are _so _fucking him,” Livvie said, a sly grin curling at her lips, “A few drinks in and you’ll be spreading your legs quicker than you did at Avery’s bachelorette party.”

Ainsley gasped, crying, “You _bitch! _I thought we agreed we’d never speak about that again!”

“Yeah, well, I lied,” Livvie admitted, giving her a wolfish grin as she reached down for her hand, “Now, let’s go, shall we?”

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

Opie turned his head away from his vice president when he heard a low whistle, his hazel eyes roaming around the bar until he noticed that several of the other SAMCRO members had their eyes locked on the main entrance of the bar. And it didn’t take him long to figure out why.

Two ladies were walking into the bar, the tall, leggy, blonde one stopping to hold the door open for the little redhead. The girls were both easily a knockout, dressed to the nines with their makeup done and their hair down. There was no doubt that they’d probably taken hours getting ready for a simple SAMCRO party. Hell, even the crow eaters didn’t put that much effort into getting ready for the parties that were held there at the SAMCRO clubhouse! But it had sure as hell paid off.

The blonde one was beautiful, long, golden hair falling in waves halfway down her back, pale blue eyes contrasted her tan skin, legs that went on for miles, killer curves that would’ve easily had most men drooling over her. But she had _nothing _on the little redhead.

“Who is _that?” _Opie asked as he found his hazel eyes travelling down the length of her, taking in _every _detail of the stunning little redhead as she followed her friend over to the bar.

Her chestnut colored hair fell to her shoulders in thick curls, her eyes hidden behind black, wire-framed glasses. The cherry red color of her dress stood out in stark contrast against her pale skin. But when she bent over at the bar to place her order, that dressed hugged every delicious curve, from the generous curve of her breasts to her slender waist to the flaring of her hips and on down to the ample swell of her ass. And that dress rose further up her thighs as she leaned over the bar, stopping _just _short of showing off her panties. But _man, _if it didn’t showcase those long, slender legs and those firm thighs.

Opie heard his friend mumbling something and asked, “What?”

“I said I don’t know,” Jax repeated himself, “You need a drool cup or something, brother?”

“Shut up,” Opie told him.

“Would ya _look _at that, boys?” Chibs commented from the table beside them, craning his neck as he tried to get a better look at her ass in that dress.

“I know, man!” Tig cried, “If she’d just bend over a _little _bit further, we could see the goods!”

“That’s an onion ass there, boys,” Happy joked, “So fine it’ll make a grown man cry. You hate to see it go but love to watch it leave.”

“Man, that thing’s so fine, it’s a shame she’s gotta sit on it,” Tig added.

“You guys know who she is?” Opie inquired, leaning a little closer to his brothers at the other table.

“Nah, man,” Happy answered.

“Nah, but _man_ I’d love to,” Tig replied.

“Shut up, Tig,” Opie told him.

“Ooo!” Tig cried, jerking his head back slightly.

He was the first one to tear his eyes from the little redhead in question, studying Opie for a moment before he gave a wolfish grin and said, “Well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say Opie here has a little crush.”

Opie growled as the rest of the guys started giving him shit.

“See, brother, this is why ya need ta come ta more parties,” Chibs razzed, “Look at all the fun you’re missin’.”

“Yeah, man, if you’d have gotten outta the fucking house, you could’ve seen all _kinds _of hot chicks at the parties,” Tig ageed.

“They’re right, you know, Ope,” Bobby added, “It’s not good for you being cooped up all the time.”

“Man, forget that,” Happy butted in, “It’s not good for his _dick _being cooped up all the time.”

The guys all started laughing, which, as it turns out, caught the attention of the two women at the bar, causing them to turn around and fix their eyes on the group of SAMCRO guys.

“Have you seen her before?” Opie asked, gesturing to the little redhead in question.

“Nah, man,” Tig and Happy answered at the same time.

“’Fraid not, brother,” Chibs replied.

“Man, I’m into redheads,” Bobby told him, “You can bet your ass I would’ve remembered _that_ one.”

Opie saw her eyes roam over the group of guys until they locked on him and something flashed in her eyes for a second. Whether it was hesitation or fear or recognition, he wasn’t sure. But, if she’d never been to a SAMCRO party before, it was hard telling.

Opie gave her a single, downward nod and watched as her lips slowly curled up into a smile. God, she was gorgeous when she smiled.

“Oh-ho-ho!” Chibs cried, “Would ya look at that!”

Opie reached out to slap him on the chest with the back of his hand, scolding, “Shut up, man.”

He watched as she turned her head to say something to the blonde beside her. The blonde nodded and the girls turned around to accept their drinks as the bartender placed them in front of them. Then they both hopped up one of the barstools. Opie couldn’t help but smile as the little redhead seemed to struggle a little, finally having to set her drink down on the bar and just climb onto the stool instead of trying to jump. In the end, her friend wound up having to steady her as she finally perched on top of the stool, both girls giggling as the blonde shook her head at the redhead, obviously teasing her.

“Short Girl Syndrome,” Happy teased.

“Man, I bet Ope would love to help her with that!” Tig razzed, a sly grin curling at his lips as he looked over at Opie.

“Oh, I could help her with a _lot _of things,” Opie muttered, unable to tear his eyes away from her.

The rest of the boys started cackling and Opie found his brows furrowing as the realization that she looked somewhat familiar registered in his brain.

“Where have I seen her before?” he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else.

“You tellin’ me ya know ‘er?” Chibs questioned, his dark brows furrowing in disbelief.

“I don’t know,” Opie replied, “I just… I feel like I’ve seen her before somewhere, but I just… I can’t put my finger on it.”

“But I bet you’d like to,” Happy insinuated, waggling his brows at him.

“Yeah, man,” Tig commented, “She’s got that whole ‘sexy librarian’ thing going on.”

“Shut up, man,” Opie told him, “I just… I don’t know how, but I feel like I know her.”

Opie wracked his brain, struggling to recall when or where he’d met her. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew her somehow, that he’d met her somewhere.

“Man, that one would be _pretty _hard to forget,” Tig chimed in, studying him closely for a minute.

“Yeah, well, if you’re really interested in her, you’d better go make your move, brother,” Jax hinted, “Before it’s too late.”

Opie was dragged back to the present as a hand clapped him on the shoulder and his eyes focused once more, discovering that a guy was now perched on the stool beside the little redhead. The guy was turned towards her, talking animatedly and smiling at her. He had black hair that was slicked back loosely, a short, trimmed beard to match, and his dark eyes were watching the little redhead closely as he talked to her. He was obviously the “pretty boy” type, and he wasn’t wearing a kutte. So, he definitely wasn’t a member of a motorcycle club.

Who was he? Her boyfriend? A friend of hers? Some random guy hitting on her?

Opie hadn’t even realized that he’d voiced those questions aloud until he heard Jax tell him, “I don’t know, brother. But if you wanna find out, you’d better get your ass over there.”

“Yeah, man,” Happy chimed in, “Don’t let that little punk weasel in on her. If you want her, go get her.”

Opie pushed himself up from his seat, making his way through the crowd as he headed towards the bar.

Once he reached the little group, he reached out to place one large hand on the mystery guy’s shoulder, quickly catching his attention.

The guy jerked his head around to look at Opie as Opie dug his fingers into his shoulder.

“Can I help you?” the guy inquired.

“You her boyfriend?” Opie asked.

“No,” the man answered, shaking his head.

“You her husband?” Opie questioned.

“No,” the man said, shaking his head as his dark brows furrowed in confusion.

“Then get lost,” Opie instructed, jerking his head in the opposite direction.

The man turned around on his stool to take Opie in, sizing him up. He opened his mouth to say something before his eyes landed on the patches on Opie’s kutte. His eyes widened then and he gave a jerky nod, quickly sliding from his stool and making himself scarce.

“Thank you for that,” the redhead told him, offering him a friendly smile.

“He giving you problems?” Opie inquired.

“No,” she replied, shaking her head, “Not really. He’s just not my type and I didn’t have the heart to tell him that he was wasting his time.”

Opie chuckled at that, shaking his head, and asked, “Oh? And just what is your type?”

She shrugged, shocking him when she informed him, “Tall, dark, handsome, tattooed. I like my men like I like my dogs, big and bearded.”

His jaw dropped at that and it took him a moment to register that she was being completely serious, if the look on her face was any indication. But, once his brain caught up, he started to laugh, lightly at first before he began to give a deep, hearty chuckle.

She smiled at him once more and he asked, “Is that so?”

She just nodded, reaching out with one hand to grab her drink from the bar and lift the cup to her lips, taking a long pull from the tiny straw.

“What are you drinking?” he asked, noticing the fact that her cup was halfway empty.

“Cherry McGillicuddy and Sprite,” she answered.

His brows rose at that and he questioned, “The sweet stuff, huh?”

“I’ve never been a fan of beer,” she told him, “I can’t even stand the _smell _of it. And I’m not exactly a martini kinda girl either.”

He gave a slow nod. So she didn’t like her drinks like she liked her men – tall, dark, and strong. Instead, she preferred something sweet or fruity. She was turning out to be quite the quirky little individual.

“You want another?” he questioned.

Her brows rose at that, even as she took another sip. He watched closely as she slowly released the small, black straw from her lips, noticing how it stuck to her painted red lips for a moment before it fell back into the plastic cup. Opie found himself licking his own lips and swallowing hard as he forced his own eyes away from her lips, back up to her eyes, which he discovered were a brilliant shade of forest green underneath her glasses.

“Maybe when I’m done with this one,” she said, a slow smile curling at her full lips.

Opie nodded at that.

“So, can I ask who my knight in black leather is?” she hinted.

“Opie,” he answered, reaching out to offer her one large hand, “Opie Winston.”

She gave a slow nod, her smile stretching into a crooked little smirk as she offered him her hand.

Opie took her hand in his, finding that it was small and delicate. He gave it a gentle squeeze, giving her a firm handshake, and was surprised to discover that she reciprocated the action. Despite her small stature, she was apparently stronger than she looked. He met her eyes once more and shuddered as he felt his stomach start to flutter. His brows furrowed at that. That had certainly never happened before, not even with Donna.

“And what did you say your name was?” he asked, trying to distract himself.

“I didn’t,” she replied with that crooked little grin of hers.

Opie’s brows rose at that. Was she really not going to tell him her name?

“Hey, Ope,” the blonde beside her chimed in, flashing him a brilliant smile.

Opie’s brows furrowed at that and he asked, “Do I know you?”

The blonde simply cocked one brow at him and informed him, “Well I was born and raised right here in Charming and I went to school with you, but I guess not.”

With that, she turned her back to him, sliding off her barstool and asking her friend, “You good?”

The little redhead nodded, though Opie could’ve _sworn _that he saw disappointment flicker in those viridescent orbs, assuring her friend, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”

Opie watched the blonde go with furrowed brows, asking, “Is she always that moody?”

“Only when you piss her off,” the little redhead answered.

Opie cocked one eyebrow at that, returning his gaze to the stunning little redhead in front of him, just in time to see her finishing off her drink.

She turned to the bartender, holding up her empty cup to flag him down, and he was quick to make his way over.

“Cherry Doc and Sprite?” he asked, reaching for her cup.

She nodded and Opie was quick to pipe up and say, “I got it, Sac.”

The prospect nodded, hurrying off to fill her order.

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

Ainsley couldn’t believe that Opie Winston was sitting in front of her, close enough that she could’ve reached right out and touched him. It was like a dream come true and, even though her heart was beating hard enough she thought it might burst right out of her chest and her stomach was a mass of fluttering butterflies, she knew that she had to play it cool if she wanted to pull this off.

He’d said it himself: he didn’t remember who Livvie was. And if he didn’t remember Livvie, then there was no way in _hell _he would’ve remembered Ainsley. Livvie had been pretty even back when they were in junior high and high school. Ainsley had worn glasses since she was in the fourth grade. She’d always been tiny, scrawny. Sure, she’d had bigger boobs her freshman year in high school than the senior girls had. Hell, she’d had a C cup in the eighth grade! But, thankfully, her breasts had gotten a little smaller after she’d finished producing milk for her son a couple weeks ago and, to be honest, she had a feeling part of that was caused by the stress of discovering that her ex was cheating on her and then trying to figure out what she was going to do in terms of supporting her son by herself.

She was jerked out of her thoughts, nearly jumping right out of her skin, when she heard that deep, rumbling baritone ask, “You all right?”

“Yeah!” she answered, nodding her head, “Yeah, I’m good. Sorry. Just had a space cadet moment.”

Opie laughed at that, that deep, hearty laugh that caused a fluttering sensation low in her stomach. God, what she wouldn’t give to run her hands over this man, to _feel _all of those firm muscles beneath her fingertips, to trace her lips over each and every one of his tattoos. It was like the sweetest form of torture. Oh, sweet misery.

“So, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing at a SAMCRO party?” Opie inquired, those hazel eyes fixed on her.

She couldn’t help but laugh at that, informing him, “Well, my sister spent the whole damn day trying to convince me that _no one_ throws parties like SAMCRO parties.”

“Your sister’s right,” he confirmed with a nod, “And this one’s just getting started.”

Ainsley shrugged, stating, “Parties never really were my scene.”

“So why come?” he questioned, furrowing his brows.

“Because my sister and my best friend apparently teamed up against me,” she sighed, accepting her drink with a smile and a nod of thanks to the bartender, “Apparently, they think that my life is too boring and that I need to get out of the house more often.”

“Sounds like my buddies,” he told her, gesturing with a nod of his head in their direction.

Ainsley smiled over at the other members of SAMCRO, who were watching them both intently.

“I think we have an audience,” she observed, giggling as she brought one hand up to wave at them.

They all turned their heads in opposite directions, trying to look busy with something else and failing miserably.

“They think I’ve just been cooping myself up in the house for the past 8 months, and I guess that makes me a hermit,” Ainsley continued on to say.

Opie nodded at that, stating, “Yeah. That’s what the guys said about me.”

“Well, aren’t we quite the pair?” she joked.

“I guess so,” Opie agreed as the prospect slid a glass of something dark in front of him.

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

“Jack and Coke?” the mystery woman inquired.

“Nah,” Opie told her, shaking his head, “Amaretto and Coke.”

He watched as her lips twitched, that slow, crooked smirk tugging at them, and she asked, “Ohhh… So, someone’s got a sweet tooth, huh?”

“You have no idea,” he replied, chuckling, and, for a second, he thought he saw something flash in those green eyes of hers, but it was gone just as quickly and he couldn’t be certain.

He loved those eyes. They sparkled when she smiled. They were so bright, so vibrant, when she talked. She was quite the animated talker, very lively and pleasant. She had a bubbly laugh and a sweet, melodic voice. She was beautiful, _so _fucking beautiful. She was easily the prettiest woman he’d ever seen, and that just frustrated him even more because, for the life of him, he just _couldn’t _seem to figure out when or where he’d seen her.

He watched as her eyes left him and seemed to focus on something else. She sighed, setting her drink down, and gave a smile, though he could tell that she had to force it onto her face.

She shot Opie a quick look, desperation filling her eyes as she murmured quietly, “I know this is a lot to ask, but can you play along?”

“What?” he asked, tilting his head to one side as he followed her gaze to find a man sidling up to them, finding that his eyes were wide and his jaw was hanging open.

“What are you doing here?” the man demanded.

“I’m having a drink,” she replied casually, holding up said drink for emphasis.

“Shouldn’t you be at home?” the man hinted.

“The last time I checked, I wasn’t on house arrest,” she retorted, “And I wasn’t aware that I was required to inform you of where I was and what I was doing either. The last time I checked, that wasn’t a law recognized by the state of California. You sure as hell didn’t tell _me _that you were fucking another _man,_ now did you?”

Opie’s jaw fell. No way. _No _fucking way had a man cheated on her with another _man!_

“What are you, fucking _stupid?” _Opie found himself asking before his brain caught up with his mouth.

_“Excuse me?” _the man asked him, jerking his head back slightly in surprise.

“Well you’ve gotta be either fucking stupid or blind to cheat on _her,” _Opie said, gesturing over the hot little redhead beside him.

“And who the hell are you?” the man demanded to know.

“Who are _you?” _Opie fired back, narrowing his eyes at the man in question.

“I’m her fucking fiancé,” the man spat back at him.

Opie’s brows hiked up his forehead even as the redhead pushed herself from her seat, glaring up at the man in question as she corrected, _“Ex _fiancé, Roman. You are my _ex _fiancé. In case you don’t remember, I found you fucking another man in _my _bed, which I later set on fire, with a few of your things, before my sister managed to drag me back into the house to help me pack. But, if you don’t remember that, then I guess you don’t remember me chucking the fucking ring at your head either, do you?”

Opie sat there, staring at the little redhead in complete shock, his jaw nearly touching the floor as she proceeded to give the man an asschewing he was sure the man would never forget.

“Baby –,” the man started to say, reaching out towards her.

But the redhead, shook her head, jerking her arm away from him and snapping, “No, don’t you ‘baby’ me, Roman. I told you that day that I never wanted to see you again. I told you I didn’t want you to call me, I didn’t want you to come anywhere _near _me. I was good to you. I held down _two _fucking jobs for you to try to help support your sorry ass. And what did you ever do for me?”

“I gave you a –,” he tried once more, but she cut him off again, insisting, “You gave me a cheap ass ring and then went out and fucked another _man! _And, you know, I really don’t even care that it was a man. Man, woman, it makes no difference to me. The point is, you fucking _cheated _on me, you worthless son of a bitch!”

Opie didn’t think his eyebrows could’ve rode any higher on his forehead. By this point, everyone in the clubhouse was watching, including the fiery little redhead’s blonde friend, who was now marching up towards the bar with a murderous look in her eyes.

“Roman, you sorry sack of shit! You get the fuck away from her!” the blonde hollered giving him a firm shove towards the door when she reached them.

“Olivia –,” the man growled.

“Get… Out… Of my sight…” the redhead snarled, her voice low and eerily calm.

A lesser man might’ve pissed himself and, for a second, Opie wondered if the other man did. But apparently, he had balls somewhere under those long, blonde curls and those pretty boy looks.

“I’m not done with you yet,” he said, pointing at the redhead.

“Oh, I think you are,” Opie informed him, pushing himself off of his stool and assuming his full height as he narrowed his eyes, glaring down at the two-timing scumbag.

The man’s lean, 5’10” frame was nothing compared to Opie’s broad, 6’5” frame. The man swallowed hard, his eyes growing wide as he took Opie in. Standing at his full height, Opie knew what he would see: a large, broad, intimidating man built with rippling muscles that were earned with years’ worth of manual labor. His arms, his chest, and his back were a canvas of black ink, some attributed to the club, some to his philosophies on life, and one even a tribute to Donna, his now ex-wife. He bore the traditional, black Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club: Redwood Original kutte. Even if the man didn’t know who SAMCRO was, he sure as hell could recognize that Opie was a member of a motorcycle club. Hell, he had longer hair than Jax did and his beard was twice as long and thick. One look at Opie was enough to help anyone label him as a biker.

“Who _are _you?” the man asked him.

“I’m a member of SAMCRO,” Opie growled, “And I say we’re done here.”

He took a step closer, towering over the other man’s smaller frame as he glared down at him, and he heard chairs sliding against the hardwood floor just before several sets of feet approached them.

“We got a problem here?” he heard Jax inquire.

“Nah,” Opie said, shaking his head, “This asshole was just leaving.”

“You got it,” Tig and Happy said in unison, both of them grabbing the man by either arm and dragging him for the door.

Jax looked at first Opie, then the little redhead, asking, “You good?”

“We’re good,” Opie answered for him as the little redhead nodded.

“Yes,” she replied, “Thank you. I’m sorry about that, really. I don’t mean to be a bother.”

“No bother at all, darlin’,” Jax told her, “If you’re a friend of Opie’s, you’re a friend of the club’s.”

With that, Jax stepped outside with a few other members of the club.

Looking around, Opie found that several people were still staring at them.

“God, I’m sorry,” the little redhead apologized, “Really. I should go. I’ve already caused enough trouble for you guys.”

“You’re no trouble,” Opie assured her, “But I think you’re right. Heading out is sounding better by the minute. Let me walk you home?”

She laughed then, shaking her head, and said, “I’m fine, but thanks.”

“I don’t mean like that,” Opie clarified, “I mean I wanna make sure you get home safe.”

She smiled at that, nodding her head, and then said, “That would be nice. Thank you. Just let me go tell my friend I’m heading out.”

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

Ainsley made her way over to Livvie, pulling her into a tight hug and telling her, “Thank you for standing up for me.”

“Oh, honey, you had it covered,” Livvie assured her, “I was just there for backup. You know I could never just sit back and watch. I’m not that kinda girl.”

Ainsley laughed at that, shaking her head, and replied, “I know. That’s why I love ya.”

“Love you too, girl,” Livvie told her.

Then her pale eyes locked on Opie, who was waiting at the bar, and she asked, “You heading out?”

“’Fraid so,” Ainsley said.

“Well, you ride that boy like a fucking pro, sweetie,” Livvie instructed, “Make me proud.”

Ainsley blushed furiously at that, gasping, and reached out to slap her friend on the arm, chiding, “Livvie!”

“What?” Olivia inquired, shrugging her shoulders, “Just saying. He’s built like a stallion. Why not ride him like one? With shoulders like that? Hell, you’ve got all the leverage you need, girl!”

“Oh my God!” Ainsley cried, shaking her head, “Right. Well, I’m leaving now.”

“See ya later, honey!” Livvie called after her, “Be safe! Use a condom!”

“Shut up!” Ainsley hissed, mortified when she saw several of the SAMCRO members, who were just returning to their seats, following her with their eyes.

Opie was laughing when she finally made it back to the bar, his hazel eyes shining with mirth as he looked down at her.

“I’m gonna kill her,” Ainsley mumbled.

That only made him laugh harder as he reached out to drape one arm over her slender shoulders, guiding her for the door. He made sure to wave at her friend before they got to the door and Ainsley couldn’t help but wonder if it was because of their earlier exchange at the bar, when he’d admitted that he hadn’t remembered her, or if it was a sign of respect directed towards her for standing up for Ainsley.

“I kinda like her,” Opie told her as he held the door open for her.

“I do too,” Ainsley admitted, “That’s the problem.”

The cool, October breeze had a slight bite to it that night, and Ainsley found herself shivering as they walked across the parking lot. But the large man beside her must have noticed because she heard the rustle of fabric and looked over to see him slipping out of his kutte and shedding his black leather jacket.

He held it out to her in a silent offering, but Ainsley furrowed her brows at him, asking, “What are you doing? You’ll freeze.”

“Nah,” he told her, “I’m like a space heater. I’ve always been a little hot-blooded. Here. Take it.”

Ainsley stopped, halfway across the parking lot, staring at him for a moment, and shook her head, insisting, “Opie, I can’t do that. You need it.”

“Just take the jacket, Red,” he instructed, reaching out to drape it over her slender shoulders before she could protest again.

The jacket was huge, swallowing up her small frame, and she found herself basking in the warmth it offered.

“Go on,” he prompted, “Put it on. I can get it back when we get you home.”

Ainsley heaved a sigh but found herself slipping her arms through the sleeves, wrapping her arms around herself to trap the heat in. She lifted the collar up to her nose as they walked along, breathing in the scent that was Opie. It was musky, like amber, but also kind of woodsy, like pine. There was a hint of gasoline and cigarette smoke. And the distinct scent of the leather itself combined with the other notes to bring it all together.

She found herself closing her eyes and just basking in the scent of him before she even realized what she was doing, causing her to run into him when he stopped.

“Oh! Shit!” she cursed, her small hands flying out to grasp his sides to help steady herself, “I’m sorry!”

Opie chuckled, shaking his head at her and throwing one leg over his bike. She was amazed that he could fit that huge frame onto the motorcycle to be honest, but then she found herself faced with the realization that they were, in fact, going to take his bike back to her place.

“We’re riding _that?” _she asked, her voice quiet and a little timid.

“Yeeeeaaah…” he said, as if it really was quite obvious.

When she didn’t move, he wrinkled his eyebrows at her, asking, “Is that not okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered, nodding her head, “Yeah. No, that’s fine. I just… I’ve never really ridden one before.”

She gave him a sheepish grin, biting her bottom lip, and looking down at the pavement. When she finally looked back up at him, Opie was grinning at her, a sly smirk stretching across his handsome face. He held one hand out to her, offering her his helmet, and she accepted it, sliding it over her head. He reached up to help her with the chin strap and she offered him a smile to show her gratitude.

“You look good in it,” he told her.

“I’m sure I look about as ridiculous in it as I do this dress,” she countered.

Opie cocked one brow at her and informed her, “You kidding me? You’re fucking _hot _in that dress. You should’ve heard the guys talking about you when you walked into the clubhouse.”

Her cheeks burned, and she was thankful that they were outside and it was dark so that he couldn’t see her blushing.

“Come on,” Opie instructed, giving a jerk of his head, “Hop on.”

She placed one hand on his broad shoulder, throwing one leg over the bike, and perched herself on the backseat.

She wrapped both arms loosely around his waist, and Opie chuckled, shaking his head as he told her, “You’re gonna wanna hang on tighter than that, Red.”

“What makes you say that?” she inquired with furrowed brows.

He kickstarted the Harley and it roared to life beneath her, the whole bike vibrating. Her first instinct was to clutch at him, her arms tightening around him until she was pressed flat against his back, hugging him tight. Opie just laughed, a gesture that she could literally _feel, _since she was pressed up against him, and her insides melted.

He turned his head, smiling back at her over his shoulder, and reassured her, “You’ll be fine. I promise.”

Ainsley just nodded, her cheek still pressed to his back.

He backed them out of the lineup, then started across the parking lot. She realized her first mistake when they turned out of the lot.

“Lean with me on the curves!” he hollered back at her to be heard above the loud machine, “Don’t fight it!”

She furrowed her brows at him, and he assured her, “I’m not gonna let you fall off!”

After the first few minutes, Ainsley found herself relaxing. She eased her head up from his back and looked around at their surroundings, watching everything go by. A smile curled at her lips as she felt the wind in her face, her hair blowing behind her. She let her eyes close, feeling the cool night air brush against her skin. It was amazing, exhilarating. There was nothing like it. It was liberating. It was like… freedom.

It wasn’t long before she felt her body synchronize to the bike. She found herself leaning with Opie around the corners, arching over him slightly when he stopped or leaning back slightly when he shifted gears. It wasn’t hard at all, like she’d thought it would be. Instead, it all seemed to come so naturally. It was as easy as breathing.

And when she felt him accelerating the bike, she found herself grinning, the adrenaline pumping through her veins and her stomach fluttering with excitement. She felt giddy. God, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this alive!

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

Opie felt her relax against him, her grip loosening somewhat as they rolled down the streets of Charming. He didn’t know what possessed him to do it but, when he saw the stop light turn to red, he hit the gas, flying through it. He heard her laughter fill the air as she gripped him just a little tighter around the waist.

He spent the next half hour just driving around town before he finally decided to take her to his favorite little lookout spot.

He drove up the winding hill and parked the bike at the overlook. He helped her climb off the bike, then he did the same, flipping the kickstand down on his bike. She removed his helmet, handing it to him, and he draped it over one handlebar. They leaned against the side of his Dyna, just staring out at the city.

“Wow…” she said, gazing out over the horizon, taking in each of the lights that sparkled, “It’s beautiful, Ope.”

“Yeah,” he agreed with a nod, “I come here when I need to clear my head. It’s my little secret spot. No one else knows about it.”

She smiled for a moment, those green eyes sparkling, before this distant look filled her eyes as she gazed down at the twinkling lights of the city.

“It sure has changed…” she mumbled, “I never remembered it being this big.”

Opie jerked his head around, asking, “Wait… You used to live here?”

“Yeah,” she answered, “Things have really changed since then. I moved after eighth grade. My mom moved us around a lot. Hell, I probably went to five different school districts in high school. But when I finished high school, I went away to college. I wanted a fresh start. But then I met Roman… Some days, I wish I never would’ve left…”

Opie’s brows furrowed at that and he mumbled, “I feel like I know you… I just… I can’t seem to put my finger on it.”

She just shook her head then, replying, “You wouldn’t have noticed me. Trust me. I was shy back then. I was quiet, a bookworm, I guess you could say.”

He nodded slowly, processing that information.

“And Livvie?” he inquired, “You two ran around together back then?”

“Hell,” she said with a laugh, “We were practically _inseparable.”_

He nodded once more. But try as hard as he might, he just couldn’t seem to piece it all together, at least not yet.

He watched as she stared out at the city as it sprawled, hundreds of feet below them.

“It really is beautiful,” she murmured quietly, wrapping her arms around herself and snuggling down into his jacket, “It’s nice to see the stars again. I didn’t see them much in Chatham.”

“You cold?” he asked her, watching as she shivered.

She turned towards him slightly, giving a sheepish little grin, and he could’ve sworn he saw her cheeks grow a little darker, but he couldn’t be certain since the only light that filtered up to them was that of the twinkling lights from the buildings below them. She nodded and he smiled, giving a backwards jerk of his head.

“Come ‘ere,” he told her, turning back to his bike and climbing on it backwards so that he faced the back of the bike.

Her brows furrowed at that and she hesitated, questioning, “What are you doing?”

“Warming you up,” he said, “Now come ‘ere.”

She nodded, reaching out to brace herself against his shoulder with one hand before she swung her leg over him, lowering herself down onto his lap. She watched him closely with those big, green eyes, gazing up at him as she studied his face. She nearly jumped right out of her skin when he reached up to set his big hands on her knees, slowly sliding them up the length of her thighs and stopping when he reached the hem of that maddening dress, only to drag them back down to her knees.

He felt her body tense slightly beneath his touch and he chuckled, shaking his head as he told her, “Relax, Red. I didn’t bring you out here to fuck you.”

“I wish you would…” she mumbled quietly, her voice just barely above a whisper, and Opie’s brows hiked up his forehead.

Her eyes grew wide then and her jaw fell open, a look of pure shock stealing across her face as if she hadn’t meant to say the words out loud.

Opie just stared at her, shocked, and she lowered her head, her eyes finding her lap.

“I’m sor–,” she started to apologize before Opie cut her off, crushing his lips to hers.

She voiced a little cry of surprise then, the sound muffled by his lips as they pressed insistently against her soft, warm, full ones. He brought one hand up behind her head, cradling the back of her head, as he used the other to tighten his grip on her thigh, holding her in place. But, when she didn’t respond to his kiss, Opie pulled back, finding her sitting there, staring at him with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he told her, “I shouldn’t have –,”

But it was her turn to cut him off, leaning in to press her lips against his as she sifted her fingers on both hands through his long hair. Opie’s brows shot up his forehead, but he was quick to catch up, his lips moving against hers in a desperate plea for her not to stop. And she didn’t. Instead, she parted her lips slightly, sucking in a deep breath, and Opie sought his chance to deepen the kiss.

He decided to test the waters first, letting his tongue slide out of his mouth to slowly trace her bottom lip. Her hands tightened against the sides of his head and she whimpered, pressing her small frame against him. Opie’s reaction was instant, his fingers fisting in her hair and his other hand sliding from her thigh up to her ass to tug her right down against him as a low growl rumbled up from deep within his chest.

The little redhead practically mewled, arching against him as she desperately sought his lips out with her own. But Opie decided to tease her, his tongue sliding over her bottom lip once more, going even slower this time just to toy with her. But he wasn’t prepared when she tugged at his hair, pulling herself further up his body and melding her lips against his so that she could slide her tongue into his mouth. Though he’d never admit it, having his hair yanked sparked a fire in him, one that had him growling and thrusting his hips up into her, causing her to spill a surprised gasp into his mouth.

Opie’s tongue delved into her mouth, chasing her own and tangling with it. Their tongues danced, battling for dominance, and Opie won, a smile tugging at his lips as she submitted with a throaty purr. The sounds that spilled from her mouth had him growing hard at an alarming rate, his cock swelling in his jeans, and he was hit with the realization that, even before Donna started threatening to leave him, they hadn’t been intimate for months. Fuck, it had been probably two fucking _years _since he’d even had sex!

While Opie had never admitted it to any of the guys, he had never sought another woman out, not even when they were gone on a run. Opie just wasn’t that kind of guy. When he was serious about a woman, he was a one-woman man. And every fiber in his body was telling him that, once he touched this little redhead, once he tasted her, there was no going back. Once would _never _be enough. He wanted her, and he wanted her to be _his._

The way she rocked her body against him, her lips wrapping around his tongue and sucking at it even as her breasts rubbed against him in the thin lace of that maddening, red dress, had him growling and tugging her right down against his rapidly hardening dick, desperately seeking out some kind of friction.

She spilled another of those maddening moans for him, surprising him by just how quiet she was compared to all the crow eaters he’d had before settling down with Donna. His large hands found their way to her thighs, slowly sliding up the length of them and pushing the hem of her dress up until it was bunched around her hips. He eased back from her lips, panting, and gazed down between them to find that her panties were an even brighter shade of red lace than her dress was. His blood ran hot at the sight, surging from his veins straight to his dick, and he used one hand to grasp her hip, steadying her, as he used the other to reach down for the thin lace. He gave a hard yank, rendering the material useless as it ripped right down the seam that held them onto her hip.

His little redhead gasped, her green eyes wide, and Opie pulled the torn lace from her body, lifting his hips to stuff it into his back pocket. He leaned down, burying his face in the crook of her neck and breathing her in deep, the sweet scent of apples and cinnamon flooding his senses as he used one hand to grip her hip and slid the other down between her thighs.

“You smell so fucking good…” he growled.

“Candy apple…” she gasped out as his fingers found her slit.

“God, you’re fucking wet…” he groaned, his tongue finding her skin and tasting the salt there as he started pressing hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses up her neck, his long, deft fingers toying with her as he teased them up and down the length of her slick slit.

She whimpered, arching against him, and tipped her head back, her fingers digging into his kutte over his broad shoulders.

“Can we even do this on –,” she started to inquire, gasping as he slid two fingers inside of her.

Opie was shocked by how tightly she clenched around his fingers, his brows furrowing as he asked her, “You’ve done this before… Right?”

She gave a jerky nod, her breath hot against his ear as she panted, her fingers fisted in the leather of his kutte.

“You sure?” he questioned.

“Yeah,” she answered, “It’s just… It’s been a while.”

“I’m sorry –,” he started to apologize, but she shook her head, interrupting him as she murmured, “No. No, it’s okay. I want this.”

He nodded to her and waited until he felt her body relaxing. She nodded to him then, and he brought his mouth up right below her ear, his nose nuzzling at the shell of her ear as he slowly eased his fingers back out of her. The soft moan she voiced had him shuddering as he eased his fingers back inside of her, sliding them in clear down to the knuckle, feeling the palm of his hand cup her sex.

His lips found her skin then, his nose nudging at the shell of her ear, and she gasped, her inner muscles fluttering slightly around his fingers. He couldn’t help but smirk against her skin as his name spilled from those perfect, red lips. He curled his fingers in a “come here” motion, searching along her walls until he found that rough, spongy patch inside of her. He tapped at it, even as his thumb pressed against her clit, and she gave a sharp whine, her body jerking against him in response.

It wasn’t long before she was riding his hand, her hips arching to meet his touch, her juices dripping onto his hand as she ground herself against it, and Opie eased his hand away from her, feeling quite pleased with himself when she voiced a whimper and pouted at him.

He brought his hand up to his mouth, sucking his fingers clean and groaning at her taste, and he could’ve sworn that he’d seen her blush but, with the dim light, he couldn’t be sure.

“Oh, I’m not done with you yet, Red,” he told her, his voice low and husky.

He reached down, his fingers finding the buckle of his belt and starting to work it loose, and her green eyes lit up, her hands flying down to help even as she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Opie nearly lost it, seeing her nimble fingers working his belt loose. And when she’d finally managed to get his jeans unzipped, her hands tugging the black denim down over his hips as he lifted them, his hands holding on to her hips to keep her from falling and his feet flat on the ground to keep them on the bike, his cock sprang free.

“No boxers, huh?” she asked, those viridescent eyes finding him even as a slow, crooked smirk curled at her lips.

** _xoxoxoxoxo_ **

Opie’s large hands wrapped around Ainsley’s hips, lifting her, and she braced herself on his firm, broad shoulders, allowing him to bring one hand down between them. Her green eyes met his hazel ones and she didn’t dare let them part until she felt the broad head of his cock sliding up the length of her slick slit. A gasp slipped past her lips as her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, her painted red nails digging into the worn leather of his kutte.

She felt him lift his hips, his head nudging at her entrance, and she nodded down at him, her eyes locked on those fierce, hazel orbs that had haunted her dreams for longer than she cared to admit. A strangled gasp escaped her, her head falling back and eyes drifting shut, as he slid inside in one long, slow glide. She shuddered, feeling every inch as he entered her, stretching her, filling her to the brink. Her ex had never been even _close _to Opie’s length or girth. God, he was like steel cased in velvet, so hard yet so smooth. And the growl that coursed up from his chest as he buried his face in her neck, his large hands moving so that one grasped her shoulder and the other filled itself with her ass, had her shuddering. The sound was so primal, so carnal. She’d never heard anything like it, and it sent a thrill right through her, ripping down her spine to focus at her center, where she gripped him tight.

“Fuck…” he grunted, using his grip on her to tug her that extra inch closer until she felt his pelvis connect with hers.

The head of his cock nudged at a spot deep within her that she’d never known had existed, causing her to gasp as her toes curled and her hips stuttered for a moment, pleasure spasming through her. She whimpered, one of her hands sliding up into his long hair, fisting the thick, mahogany strands as she ground her hips against him, eagerly seeking that friction her body so desperately craved.

“Please,” she begged, “Opie, please…”

She couldn’t control her body, her fingers tugging at his hair and digging into his kutte as her hips rocked, picking up a quick tempo as she worked herself up and down on his length. The sound of his deep grunts and growls filled her ear as he used those large hands to guide her, tugging and pulling, manipulating her rhythm until it suited his liking.

“God, Red, you’re so fucking perfect…” he rasped into her ear, “So tight… So hot… So wet…”

She tipped her head back, moaning in ecstasy as she let him take over, let him set a frantic pace.

His mouth found her neck, his breath hot on her skin, his kisses wet and sloppy as he fucked her into oblivion, rutting against her like he was just as starved for affection as she was, like he was just as desperate for his release as she was. She moaned out into the night, pleading, begging, cursing and praising the man that was bringing her closer to the brink. She could feel it building, that coil inside of her tightening, the tension inside of her rising.

“Opieeee!” she whined as she felt him bring one hand down between them to slip it between her slick folds, his thumb finding her clit and working quick, firm circles over it.

Her toes curled, her thighs clenching, and she gave a strangled gasp as she was thrown over the edge, stars dancing behind her closed eyelids as she clung to him, her body shaking as the waves of pleasure crashed through her system.

A few hurried thrusts later and he came with a brutal shout, the sound muffled against her skin as his grip tightened like a vice around her, surely leaving bruises on her pale skin. But she was too far gone to care, bringing both hands up to cup the sides of his face as she leaned in to steal one last, hungry kiss from him as his hips bucked violently against her.

When he finally stilled beneath her, he eased back from the kiss, panting, and she saw that slow, lazy, cocky grin stretching across his devastatingly handsome face.

“You up for round two at my place?” he asked her.

Ainsley just nodded, breathless and grinning like a fool.

** Lyrics from the Songs: **

_Red _by Dustin Lynch

**Author's Note:**

> Poor Opie just doesn't seem to get much love on fan fiction sites, so I decided to take pity on him. I know there wasn't much smut in this chapter, but there will be more in the next one. I promise.


End file.
